Sabah and Sarawak to attract more tourists from Singapore

Sabah minister of tourism, culture and environment Christina Liew has reportedly urged the Sabah Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STTOS) to be more aggressive in promoting Sabah as a desirable travel destination. 

Speaking at the launch of Borneo Fest 2024 held in Singapore, Liew reportedly said that there is a 7.3% decrease in the number of Singaporeans visiting Sabah as compared to 2023. Visitations from Singaporeans had dropped from 13,499 in January to May 2023 to 12,462 in the same period this year, according to The Star.  

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Liew reportedly said that there is room for improvement and that Borneo Fest 2024, which is a collaborative effort between STTOS and the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS), is another chance for both states to explore trade and tourism opportunities in the Singapore market. The event also serves as a platform to create awareness among Singaporeans that Sabah and Sarawak are located in East Malaysia, Liew reportedly said. 

In addition, air connectivity is not a problem as there are 14 daily flights from Singapore to Sabah via Air Asia and Scoot, Liew reportedly added. 

The minister reportedly said that Sabah offers many types of tourism such as ecotourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, wildlife tourism, golf tourism, cultural tourism, and medical tourism. 

Meanwhile, Sarawak deputy minister of tourism, creative industry and performing arts Snowdan Lawan reportedly said that Sarawak offers vast landscape, culture, nature and endless opportunities for adventure.

He added that Borneo Fest 2024 is a testament to the strong bond and shared heritage between Sarawak and Sabah, and highlights its commitment to fostering regional cooperation and partnership with Singapore, according to Malay Mail. 

The state of Sarawak has been focusing on ramping up its own tourism as of late. In June this year, the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) and Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) partnered up to promote tourism in Sarawak. This comes after the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a three-year partnership. 

The partnership aims at collaborating on initiatives promoting tourism in Sarawak. This includes supporting STB's flagship events such as Rainforest World Music Festival, Rainforest Youth Summit, Borneo Jazz Festival and major trade fairs.  In addition, the MoU aims to complement the tourism promotion activities for "Visit Malaysia Year 2026" and revitalising the country's tourism industry, especially in international markets. 

Picture courtesy of Sabah Trade and Tourism Office Singapore/Facebook 

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